By Paula Williamson guest writer The Scripture is full of truth about God and life. One only needs to read it to discover the undercurrent of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness throughout its pages. We may not understand His ways, but we can trust His nature. God gets the wrap for everything bad that happens in the world. He gave us free choice, and many of us do not use that freedom responsibly. I have personally blamed Him for not doing things I think He should have. We may never understand why or how everything happens, but we can trust His goodness to heal, redeem, restore, and rebuild.   It Is Written:   EXODUS 34:6 The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.   Merciful & Gracious Merciful means He holds back the judgment we deserve; gracious means He gives us what we do not deserve. I have done my share of wrong things, things I wish I had not done, mistakes I’ve made that I wish I could undo. The truth is–we do not deserve the grace and mercy He has lavished upon those who believe. Despite the circumstances, He is good and full of truth. In a world where we do not know the motives behind what we hear, we know without a doubt that God is good.   Prayer Lord, in a world where we do not know the motives behind the words spoken on SocialMedia or in the News, thank You that we can know the motive behind Your word is love.   Takeaway God is good.

By Paula Williamson guest writer What exactly is abundant life? Strong’s Concordance defines abundant as the Greek word perissos, meaning superabundant, exceeding, extraordinary, more than sufficient beyond measure, overflowing, superior in quality, over and above, or more than necessary. John 10:10 says that is why Jesus came.   It Is Written:   JOHN 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.   The Thief  Satan is the one whose characteristics include stealing, killing, and destroying. Blessings or consequences flow from the choices we make and from who we follow or obey. Scripture is full of blessings for those who follow and obey God. The one who robs us of life, love, peace, joy, kindness, and mercy is Satan, not God. Scripture was written to show you how to live under God’s blessings and to warn of what happens when you choose to live outside of them.   Prayer  Lord, the world is so full of opinions, half-truths, and outright lies that no one knows what to believe anymore. I am holding fast to Your word, which has never been disproved. I thank You that You promise to honor and uphold it, and that it will never pass away.    Takeaway There is a life of abundance.

By Paula Williamson guest writer I was talking to my niece one day and told her that Jesus never sinned. He was perfect. She gave me a deer-in-the-headlights stare and said, “That’s impossible. No one is perfect.” She was half right. Humanly speaking, it is impossible. Jesus was and is that perfect, sinless one.   It Is Written HEBREWS 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.   The Selfless One God came to earth in human form as Jesus Christ. He lived a selfless life and paid the full penalty for our sins by dying on the cross, so that by surrendering our lives to Him, we are reconciled to God and gain an eternal home.   Prayer Thank You, Lord Jesus, for living a selfless life, being falsely accused, betrayed, slandered, lied about, abandoned, spit upon, beaten, and crucified, bearing our sins on the cross. There is no greater love than this, laying down Your life for us. I am grateful. Thank You.   Takeaway There is a perfect One!

By Paula Williamson guest writer I remember, as a child, knowing there was someone invisible, much bigger than me, watching over me. When I entertained the idea of doing something wrong, I didn’t because I felt He would see. I am amazed by every flower, leaf, animal, insect, fragrance, season, pattern, migration, sunset, sunrise, night and day. Scientists have long tried to disprove the Bible, but even after 3,000 years, they have not been able to do so.   When introduced to Jesus, Helen Keller said, “I have always known Him; I just didn’t know His name.”   It Is Written   GENESIS 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.   ROMANS 1:19   For that which is known about God is evident to them  and  made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.   Evolution or God   We are free to believe whatever we wish, whether it is truth or a lie. I remember being taught about evolution in elementary school and trying to figure out how and where God fits into that story. Now I know He doesn’t. The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth. The choice of what we believe is ours. I have lived a life full of evidence for the existence of God. Each day I see more proof!   Prayer   Lord, I thank You that You created the heaven and the earth. I thank You that You created all the beauty of the earth for us. I thank You that You notice when a sparrow falls to the ground and care for us. I can’t imagine a life without You. For the one who has not yet been introduced to You, I ask that You meet them in a real and personal way today.   Takeaway God created the heavens and the earth.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Someone needs to hear this today! I have been on the receiving end of an unforgiving heart far too many times in my life. You know the feeling, that vice gripping your heart and squeezing the life out of it, your mind consumed with thoughts and lists of what someone did to you over and over. Unforgiveness is emotionally and physically draining for the one who carries it. The issue of forgiveness is not about whether what someone did is forgivable. Forgiveness frees me from letting that person live rent-free in my body for the rest of my life. I’ve heard it said, "Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the abuser to die." That’s not going to happen!   It Is Written   MATTHEW 6:14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.   Forgiveness Sets Us Free   As long as unforgiveness lives in us, we are the prisoner, and the abuser goes free! Once we forgive, we are set free, and God can deal with them. How? Here are the steps toward freedom!   Prayer   Lord Jesus, I forgive _______________ for all that has happened and all that has gone on. I forgive myself for the parts I may have played. I ask You, Lord, to forgive me. I take ______________ and any negative or tormenting feelings and unforgiveness that I carry toward them, and I put them into my hands (cup your hands together). Any hurt, bitterness, resentment, anger, offense, feelings of abandonment, betrayal, neglect, rejection, deception, manipulation, control, or judgments. (Name any others that come to mind.) So here they are, Lord; ________________ and all my negative feelings and judgments; I give them to You and I let go. (Lift your hands up to Jesus and give them to Him; let them go. If we give them to Jesus, He will take them every time.)    1 PETER 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.   Takeaway Forgiveness frees you!

By Paula Williamson guest writer God has a wonderful plan laid out in the Bible through which all may enjoy peace with Him, but He also created us with the freedom of choice. He did so because He wanted it to be our choice whether to love and follow Him and His ways. In Deuteronomy 28, He laid out the benefits and blessings that come with living a life that honors Him. In the book of Proverbs, He laid out how we could gain wisdom. Scripture is filled with wonderful stories of men and women of old who shared their faith.   It Is Written:   2 TIMOTHY 3:16 in the Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness".   Your Choice   Although scripture is profitable and wise, we have complete freedom to do as we wish. Many of today's hurts, problems, and hangups result from our own choices and actions. I wonder how different our world might look today if we all chose the good plans He laid out for us?   Prayer   Lord, I am sorry for the time I wasted living a life I thought was better than Your plan. I ask You to forgive me. I want to surrender my life and ways to You. Use my life to bring You glory and honor.   Takeaway God gave us freedom of choice.

By Paula Williamson guest writer People believe all kinds of things about death. You only need to bring up the subject to find differing beliefs about what happens when we die. Some say that when we die, that is the end and there is nothing afterward. Others believe in reincarnation and are born over and over as other things, such as a dog or another human. Scriptures say that death is not final. There is more to come.   It Is Written   MATTHEW 25:46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” 1 JOHN 5:11-23   And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  12  The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. The Book of Life The book of Matthew tells us there are two eternal places, eternal life and eternal punishment. I wouldn’t want anyone I know and love to go to eternal punishment. The book of 1 John tells us that the one who has Jesus is the source of eternal life. I surrendered my life to Him when I was just twelve, the day I met unconditional love.   Prayer Lord, we have all sinned and followed our own ways. I thank You that in Your great mercy, You provided a way of forgiveness and salvation for us through Jesus Christ. I thank You that surrendering our lives to Him holds the promise of eternal life. I look forward to a grand reunion with those who have gone before us, who lived for You, wrote songs and books, and shared testimonies of Your great love for us. Thank You for providing a way to eternal life through Jesus.   Takeaway Death is not final

By Paula Williamson guest writer  I can’t imagine being a young and impressionable person in today’s world, with today’s news, social media, and the conversations they must hear. I listen, observe, and wonder how much hope we are passing on to future generations. I wonder how much hope they have for their future. I wonder if they realize they have a future. The Bible says Truth is a person. Has anyone ever introduced you to Jesus? Open the Bible and read the book of John, and let Jesus’ beloved disciple introduce you to Him. He is the way, the truth, the life.   It Is Written   JEREMIAH 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the  Lord , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   JOHN 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.   HEBREWS 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Good News Now that’s good news! We have God’s Word on it! Our world has become skilled at sharing bad news. How about we change that? How about we start passing along some good news for a change? The next generation deserves hope.   Prayer Lord, forgive us for being bearers of bad news before an innocent world watching us. Instead of echoing the gloom, doom, and despair common in the secular world, help us to speak Your truth, Your hope, and Your life to them. Help us to be a people who stop going with the flow and turn the tide back toward You. Thank You for hope. Takeaway There is absolute truth!

By Paula Williamson guest writer You only need to scroll through social media for a few posts before you come across controversial topics and differing opinions. Even churches and church members don’t always agree. Disagreements have always existed and will continue to as long as we are alive. Instead of looking for things to argue about, why not focus on finding common ground?      It Is Written   JOHN 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.   1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2 First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people,   2  for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.   3  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,   4  who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.   5  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus,   6  who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.     What We Can Agree On We can agree that our world is imperfect. The leaders guiding it are imperfect. We are all imperfect. Division is spreading widely. A good first step would be to take a knee and ask for divine help.   Prayer Lord, we honor You and recognize You as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Even those who do not acknowledge You as the Creator of the earth know we need help. We all hope for a future for our children and grandchildren that is better, kinder, more peaceful, and more hopeful. We are witnessing the results of a world where everyone does what they believe is right. We humbly bow and ask for Your intervention in our lives, hearts, and the world.    Takeaway Look for ways to agree

By Paula Williamson guest writer   The Bible speaks of one God who inspired the entire scripture. The oldest parts of the Bible date back to 1400 BC, while the newer sections were written around 90-100 AD. For centuries, scholars, skeptics, and critics have tried to disprove the Bible. In the process, many key artifacts have been discovered, including the Tel Dan Stele, the Pilate Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and more. Many prominent figures have converted to Christianity after trying to disprove scripture, including Sir William Mitchell Ramsay, Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Gilbert West, George Lyttelton, and Anthony Flew. Spanning 3,400 years, no one has succeeded in their efforts.    It Is Written   1 KINGS 18:21 - 24 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people [of Israel] did not answer him [so much as] a word.   REVELATION 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God,   EXODUS 20:3 -5 “You shall have no other gods before Me. “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”   Prayer Lord, there are so many mixed messages we hear in the world. Help us to read and believe Your Word that has never been disproved in over 3,000 years. Help us to return to Your Word and surrender our allegiance to the one true God.   Takeaway There is only one God.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Initially, God created Eve because He said it was not good for man to be alone. He instructed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. That was God’s original plan. According to scripture, engaging in same-sex relationships is to do something opposite to God’s plan. He, the Creator, knowing us better than we know ourselves, placed loving boundaries in His Word that serve our best interests. We all have the choice to follow them or to be our own gods.   It Is Written   ROMANS 1:26 -27 For this reason God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature], 27 and in the same way also the men turned away from the natural function of the woman and were consumed with their desire toward one another, men with men committing shameful acts and in return receiving in their own bodies the inevitable and appropriate penalty for their wrongdoing.   PROVERBS 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but its end is the way of death.   DEUTERONOMY 28:1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.     These are not my words or opinions but scriptures from God’s Word.   I attended a conference years ago called “Healing the Wounded Spirit” by John and Paula Sandiford. They taught that when we object to the way God made us, we are in rebellion because we think we know better than God. That was difficult for me to hear because I had issues with many things about myself and my family. I thought a lot about the teaching I heard, wrestled with it for a while, and then decided to ask for forgiveness for those very things I objected to. A peace began to settle over my life, and I became more comfortable with myself. There is a life of blessing offered to those who obey God.   Prayer Lord, help us to see Your Word as spoken by a loving God who desires what is best for us. Help us to find peace with You, the way You created us, and in Your plans for our lives. Help us to read Your Word and not be swayed by the fads and ways of this world. I want to walk on the path that leads to life!   Takeaway Blessings come with obeying His Word.

By Paula Williamson guest writer   Free Will God created us with free will. He intentionally didn't create puppets. We are free to believe whatever we choose. Everyone living under the heavens suffers the consequences of human beliefs. Since the beginning of time, instead of honoring, acknowledging, and surrendering to the Creator of the Universe, man has chosen his own way.   It Is Written   JUDGES 17:6 (In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.)   GENESIS 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.   PROVERBS 18:16 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.   My Choice!   God clearly gave us the choice to do what is right in our own eyes. He openly grants us freedom to believe or do anything we wish. How’s that working? How’s that working for our world? How would it work in our homes if children ruled themselves? There is so much confusion in our world that no one knows what to believe anymore. Instead of submitting our lives to an all-knowing, all-wise God and His good plans for us, we, the created, think we have a better idea. We reject His word, refuse His ways, and dismiss how He created us to follow what feels right in our own eyes. 1 CORINTHIANS 2:9 But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen ,  nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love.   Prayer Lord, forgive us for rejecting You, Your Word, Your good plans, and doing what is right in our own eyes. What a mess we have made. Help us return to You and Your Word, Your Truth, and Your Ways that lead to life. I want to know the plans You have for me.   Takeaway His plans are good!